The present subject matter relates generally to a video recording and editing system and method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a video recording and editing system and method that enables users to capture video recorded in a traditional manner, but also to capture video before a user indicates that recording is to begin and to edit said video via an innovative interface.
When someone records a video typically more video is captured than is actually wanted or needed. This is a result of basic limitations on how the video recording process works. As an example of one of these limitations, a user may be observing their child's soccer game and decide that they wish to record a video of their child playing the game; more specifically they want to record the child doing something memorable (e.g., the child kicking a ball, making nice defensive play, or scoring a goal). In hopes of catching such a notable event on video the user must start recording before the event occurs and keep recording until after such an event takes place. The result of this process is that the user may have recorded several minutes of video to capture a much shorter moment. These large video files, containing minutes of uninteresting footage, may take up a good deal of space on a storage medium and since every computing device, rather it be a camera, smartphone, tablet, personal computer, or other computing device has a finite amount of memory; eventually the storage of extraneous recorded video will limit the functionality of the video recording device.
Another limitation of the traditional video recording process is that the larger video files are much more difficult (if not impossible) to conveniently share via email, social media, or other video sharing methods. Most mediums for sharing a virtual file have limits on the size of file that may be uploaded and sent. Additionally, most mediums for sharing files also have limits on the size of file that can be received by a user and the total amount of storage space available to a user to store such files. In today's social media driven world, the need to substantially edit a video file down to an appropriate size before sending or posting online is inconvenient and a hindrance to the pace at which news and other important events are shared with the world.
Matching closely with the size limitations of the traditional video recording process, larger video files typically contain longer videos with a good deal of uninteresting content. This means there is also a limitation on the traditional video recording process that requires the use of cumbersome editing software (to apply effects like slow-motion, and/or add music, etc.) to create a video relevant in today's fast paced world.
Editing video files is also cumbersome due to the time it takes for a video editing system to create the new video based on the specified edits (e.g. trim, cut out segments, apply special effects, etc.). Also, the creation of new versions of from an original source file creates a new file that takes up space on the user device. For example, if a user takes a ten minute video, and then creates three new versions from this video, one containing the first three minutes, then second containing the next four minutes, and the final containing the last three minutes, then the user now has four files, the original source video which is ten minutes long, and three derived versions taking sections from this video, totaling in this case ten more minutes of video. This method takes up valuable space on the user device, and is cumbersome due to the time it takes for the user device to generate the new video file versions.
All of these limitations stem from the biggest issue with traditional video recording and editing methods: that all such devices create and present video files that are tied to this input, and modify such video files per the specified edits that the user makes. Such a method does not allow users to go back in time and get missed video, nor does it allow for the quick creation of alternate versions without a user having to create new files for each such version.
Another common limitation is that video editing UI's (user interfaces) are cumbersome and intimidating, and often require a steep learning curve. Consequently the typical user does little to no editing of video.
Accordingly, there is a need for a user-friendly video recording and editing system that dissociates perception from reality, giving users more flexibility to capture and edit desired video. Such a system could easily capture events prior to a user's input, and make virtual edits without the need to create new video files. In such a system a user could add video captured prior to the user-initiating recording via a user input, and then make unlimited version from such a source file without taking significant space.